one of my friends cut a finger off on the tablesaw

[Part_Timer]

This could be here or in the safety area

One of the guys that works for me cut his thumb, index, and middle finger of his left hand on the table saw on saturday.  He lost the index to the second joint. 

PLEASE take the extra time and be aware of the set up you choose.

Tom

[beenthere]

That's not good.
Did he slip, fall asleep, or a board kick back? 

I worked with a man that had something similar...but due to wearing leather gloves that were required by the safety procedures (so he wouldn't get splinters from the wood). The leather caught up in the blade, and pulled his hand down into it.

[WDH]

Tom,

A little bit about the circumstances would be helpful and appreciated.

[bck]

have you seen the table saw thats out now that will stop the blade before it can do damage to your finger?  Was looking at it the other day, I think it was at sawstop.com     
I think when I replace my tablesaw thats the way Im going.

[TexasTimbers]

Ouch. Sorry to hear it.

bck there's a whole lot to be read about the Sawstop. Been out for at least 3 years I believe.

Some think it is a waste of money. I have mixed feelings on it. I think it is a smart choice for many types of personalities/experience levels. The guy or gal with the personality that says they are a little smarter than the rest of the crowd probably need it more than the rest of the crowd. The "weekend warrior" that uses a saw a dozen times a year probably needs one.


But of course anyone can get lax and careless in the woodshop. Some think the seasoned pro is more apt to become careless than the weekend warrior. It's hard to know. All I know is anyone who ever loses a finger will say in hindsight it's a real cheap piece of machinery.

[ADAMINMO]

I saw the Sawstop table saw being demoed at a woodworking show once. Really cool machine. It barely nicked the hotdog before the blade was stopped instantly. They say it works on a human body part like it does a hot dog. You can walk away and put a bandaid on it versus losing it and having a hefty doctor bill. Wonder what the first guy was thinking as he stuck his finger up to the blade to see if it would work on his finger like it did on the hot dog. I wouldn't have been the first to do it. Anything could happen .   ... Like stick in your finger and the saw dont stop , assembly guy says " Whoops.... I forgot to hook up the sensor didn't I? Sorry about that Pete , Let me go find the end of your finger and get you to the doc  and then I will hook up the sensor and you can try it again."  " Ok Bubba ... I sure can't wait to stick my finger in that blade again":D  :D  :D The one I seen demoed worked like a champ though.I think you are out the cost of the blade and a new aluminum brake. Well worth the money spent on it versus losing a digit and paying a doctor bill.

[Fla._Deadheader]

You're telling us, that, if I'm cutting a chunk of wood, and manage to get a finger into the blade, there is a sensor that will instantly stop that blade, before I can pass that finger through the blade ???

  Sorry, I don't "test" the wood, to see if my finger can touch the blade. I just cut the wood.

  I don't believe the story, Sorry.  : :

[thedeeredude]

Youch!  I hate tablesaws.  I think its good to be scared of machines like that, it reminds you what can happen and you think things through more.  When you think you own the machine is when it bites back.  I have heard that the saw stop really does work from someone who found out the hard way. 

[ohsoloco]

Harold, the sensor detects something like a finger, and then releases an aluminum "brake" pad into the blade.  It ends up wrecking the blade, as well as the brake, as the aluminum gets fused to the blade.  Still pretty cheap considering the alternatives. 

http://www.sawstop.com/

[Ianab]

Yep.. the system does actually work.

The whole saw arbour is on insulated bearings and is carrying a low voltage ac current. When something conductive (like a finger or a hotdog) come in contact with the blade it instantly changes the electrical characteristics of the circuit. This blows a fusable link in the cartridge and a big spring throws a chunk of alloy into the blade. The momentum of the blade is then used to retract it away from the stray finger and under the table top.

Downsides - it wrecks the blade, and you have to buy a new cartridge as well. You can also accidently trigger it with wet wood or an alloy fence or guide. It does have a switch to lockout the brake cartridge for those situations though, also lets you do the hotdog test without actually tripping the brake (A light just comes on)

Upside - you get to keep your fingers

Ian

[Larry]

Well ok....since ya brought up a finger story...my finger started throbbing.

Some 30 years ago I had a molding head on the tablesaw.  Molding a little trim out of redwood.  For some reason the board exploded and two fingers along with my thumb ended up in the blade.  The thumb just had a small scratch, the first finger required a couple of stitches.  The index finger was a 1/4" shorter, the nail was gone, and the first joint was shattered.  Eight hours in the OR where my buddy, the surgeon did micro surgery...without a microscope.  He put a screw about 1-1/4" long down through the joint to hold things together, stitched enough fingernail tissue back on so the nail grew back, and somehow put the nerves back together so I have feeling in the finger tip.

The joint is stiff and the finger gets cold easy.  And every time somebody starts a thread like this I think of the accident after all these years.  It also has helped me remain accident free for the last 30 years.

Although the accident happened at home my experience level at the time was professional...my first job out of high school was running a tablesaw 40 hours a week which I did for a couple of years.  The cause of the accident was because I was not using proper hold downs.

Oh yeah...the bill was $3,000 or so which I thought outrageous.  Might be a tad more these days.

I've seen the Saw Stop demo in KC were they actually wrecked a blade...impressive.  I don't have a Saw Stop and don't intend to buy one but I do use guards and hold downs.  More importantly I pause to think before hitting the on switch.

[Dave Shepard]

As Kevin mentioned in the safety thread "Don't get complacent". That is my mantra every time I start the chainsaw now. I've always been leery of table saws and such, will have to keep the mantra in mind in the wood shop too.

Part_Timer, sorry to hear of your friend.


Dave

[woodmills1]

I try to keep my hands away from the blade at all times.  For 95% of my regular ripping I push the board half way then pull it out, flip it over, then finish the rip.  For any other work I use hold downs and push sticks.

[Part_Timer]

The guy was using his left hand to help hold the board against the fence and guide it into the blade.  He says the board jumped and his hand went forward and the fingers went in.

I'm going over to see him tonight.  Bad part is he is a PLC programmer and graphic display designer for our systems here at work. Typing is a major part of his job.   I'm sure he will adapt fast. Lots of work using a mouse is in his future.

[Brad_bb]

Yeah, that sucks.  My fingers are worth more than a wood working project.  Unfortuneately I have a delta unisaw without the safety features, I respect it well and use push sticks etc.  the Sawstop does work.  I was an engineer at Bosch until last year and saw it demo'd there.  Most of the table saw manufactuers got together to understand it and consider safety.  It is added cost, but it does work well. A hotdog (being the closest thing to a finger) does stop it.  I do believe someone did try it with a real finger only got a cut like on the hotdog.

[SeeSaw]

FDH,

I didn't beleive it either,  but I saw it demo'd on DIY network on cool tools and it works just as stated above.  Pretty impressive really.

SeeSaw

[Dodgy Loner]

I think the most important safety feature that's missing on our table saws is not the SawStop technology, but the riving knife.  In your friend's case it may have prevented the board from jumping up in the first place.  Kickback is the most common safety issue with table saws - think about how many of you have had a board fly back at you versus how many are missing fingers.  The anti-kickback pawls and blade guards on most table saws are poorly designed.  I know very few people who don't remove them.  A riving knife, on the other hand, moves with the blade, so it doesn't interfere with any type of cut, and it still prevents the board from pinching the back of the blade, which is what causes kickback in the first place.  I've had enough "close calls" with flying boards that won't buy another table saw without a riving knife.

[treecyclers]

The SAWSTOP tablesaw is a true woodworker's dream saw.
It works as advertised, and has saved countless fingers and hands since it came out on the market.
The biggest downsides to it are it's price tag (They start at just under $4000 for a decently equipped saw), to over $7500 for the top of the line with all the bells and whistles.
I sold them for a year for a friend's shop, and the horror stories I heard time and again were gut wrenching.
The one that I remember the best was the call from the shop that had bought 2 saws.
Their saw man was running hard and fast that morning, and had tripped the two brake cartridges they had, plus their two backups. They had called to get more cartridges, and wanted to be sure we had them in stock.
I got a call from them about half an hour later, telling me that their saw man had jumped over onto their old powermatic 66, and had proceeded to cut off 3 of his fingers within 15 minutes of starting it up.
New SAWSTOP tablesaw - $4000
One brake Cartridge - $75
Having all your digits at the end of the day - priceless.

I respect that some folks find the concept of the sawstop difficult to believe. I myself didn't believe it until I watched it with my own eyes.

When anyone comes in looking for a new tablesaw, I would always show them the sawstop, as well as every other saw in their price range. It amazed me the number of people that would choose the sawstop over any other saw, regardless of price.

That being said, I asked my fiancee what she thought the cost of having a finger re-attached would cost, being that she's an RN.
Figure somewhere in the ballpark of $18,000.00, give or take.
And that's assuming that they're able to reattach it.
SD

[beenthere]

...........the riving knife.  .............  A riving knife, on the other hand, moves with the blade, so it doesn't interfere with any type of cut, and it still prevents the board from pinching the back of the blade, which is what causes kickback in the first place.  I've had enough "close calls" with flying boards that won't buy another table saw without a riving knife.

I'm not picturing the riving knife you describe (moving with the blade). Best I come up with is what I'd call a splitter that is in line with the sawblade, and prevents pinching of the back of the saw blade. I added one to my table saw, as most of the work I do on the saw is without the guard, which includes the splitter.  Is the splitter and riving knife on a table saw one of the same??

[Dodgy Loner]

No, a splitter is stationary.  It interferes with non-through cuts, such as dadoes and grooves, and the distance between the back of the blade and the splitter will increase as you lower the saw blade.  A riving knife, on the other hand, moves up and down with the blade, so it will not interfere with any kind of cut.  Also, it's always the same distance from the back of the blade to the riving knife, so there's no chance for the kerf to close up before contact like there is with a splitter.  As far as I know, it's not possible to add a riving knife to most American table-saws, but they are (fortunately) becoming more popular.  They come on all SawStop table saws.






treecyclers: it sounds as though the fellow you describe had no business using power equipment of any kind. 

[beenthere]

That pic helps a lot. Thanks

[metalspinner]

That 4 grand buys you one heck of a table saw.  Everything that I have read about it puts it above the Powermatic 66 as far as features and heft... plus the blade stop technology.

Sorry to here about your friend. Not long ago, a buddy of mine had a jointer accident.  He still is reluctant to discuss it. :

Treecyclers,
That figure sounds about right... just for the ER bill.  You need to figure physical therapy after all is healed up a bit , too.  Oh, also time lost from work.

I agree with Dodgy about the cabinet shop fellow.  He sounded very reckless and possibly a danger to others.  Just because I am wearing a seatbelt in my car doesn't mean I should go tearing around town like a maniac.



The Sawstop cabinet saw is on my "someday" list.  Just hope "someday" isn't a day too late. :

[OneWithWood]

My Powermatic 2000 came with a riving knife, kickback pawls and clear guard.  The pawls and guard atach to the rining knife so everything moves with the blade.
Sawstop is still on my wish list.

[Dodgy Loner]

I agree with Dodgy about the cabinet shop fellow.  He sounded very reckless and possibly a danger to others.  Just because I am wearing a seatbelt in my car doesn't mean I should go tearing around town like a maniac.

I like that analogy, MS .  The SawStop is a great invention, and I'm sure it will save many digits (as it already has), but safety starts with being familiar with your equipment and aware of your work environment, and taking proactive steps to prevents accidents from happening.  I'm not what you would call a "safety fiend" - I still drop-start my chainsaw (hey, it's got a chain break ;)), and I make an occasional cut on the table saw without putting on my safety glasses first (no excuse for that one) - but I always try to think before using a power tool and making sure that my flesh will remain clear of any rapidly moving parts.

[Tom]

I lost the end of my middle finger on my left hand to a 10", 5 horse, Unisaw at my Adult Education Shop Class.  It didn't even slow down. :D

I was being as careful as could (new to be) and now know a lot more about how the body reacts to sudden changes in the environment than I once did.  Basically, I chalk my injury up to ignorance.

I was cutting a piece of cedar that was really too short to be handling by hand and maybe even too short to be using a push stick.  I don't remember how short it was, but I think it was in the 6" range.   I had actually completed the cut, pushing it through with a push stick, but it didn't clear the back of the blade.  I reached around the back to pull it out and there was much clatter.  The short piece of wood must've begun to move and my mind was set on grabbing it .  It all happened so fast that my mind didn't get turned around and I guess it was instinct to complete the original action.  I grabbed at the wood, which was being kicked by the blade and my middle finger hit the teeth.  The injury was lightening fast.  I immediately knew I had done something to myself, grabbed my left finger with my right hand squeezing it tightly and holding it to my stomach.  I was afraid to look.  There was blood, but I was holding it tight enough that it wasn't pouring.  I asked for a rag and looked at the finger as I wrapped the rag around it.  "I think I should go to the emergency room".  I told my buddy.

The fat tip of the finger was gone and the nail was cut back into the quick.  The big concern was that the bone had been chipped.  Bone infections from wounds like this are common and very dangerous, I was told.

The wound wasn't closed, it was covered with a mesh simulated skin and gave the skin something to attach itself to as it healed.  It was covered and I was given pain medication and told to hold it over my head.

I was distraught.  "Will I be able to play the guitar", I asked?

The emergency room doctor got this look on his face like he had never been given an opening like that before and he wasn't going to miss it.   "I don't know", he answered, "could you play one before"?

My wife was there by then and the Four of us, she, I, my friend and the Emergency room doctor, just about brought the house down laughing.   It probably didn't hurt the joke any that my mind was numbed with some powerful drugs either. :D

Anyway, I began reading about tablesaw safety after that and found a lot of things I didn't know about the handling of the tool.  Today, I'm a lot more knowledgeable but forget what I don't use.

Thinking back, I'm a bit disappointed that the instructor turned us all loose in that shop without some preliminary education.  His idea was that we paid the taxes for the equipment and it was there for our use. He spent the time in his  office.  Actually, all of us were there hoping for some kind of instruction as well as having the use of the equipment for special projects.   There was even one fellow that signed up for every class, there were two a year, to plane all of his rough wood.  He would come in with his pickup loaded to the gills, plane the wood and leave.  The twenty dollars for the course was cheaper than buying a planer.

Now, I read anything I can on tool safety.  I still don't adhere to it as anally as some people.  I still run the chainsaw in work clothes and don't put on my hardhat to drive the tractor, but, at least, I know that those things are recommended by some people.

[Dan_Shade]

I had a high school shop teacher that was very safety minded, we had to pass a written test, then a one-on-one use of tool test in the shop.  Lots of kids didn't like him because he was a hard-"bum", but I got along with him fine.

Those safe practices stuck with me.

I think if I were running a shop, and a guy trips the saw stop, he's going to get to go home for the rest of the day, on me.  if it happened regularly, i'd dismiss him as a safety hazard.  safety equipment should not surpass common sense and good practices.

[thedeeredude]

I heard that companies who use saw stop table saws get a discount on insurance.  This was a local mill work company.  If only this technology could be applied chainsaws.  Last I looked on sawstops website they were planning to make a bandsaw also.

[SwampDonkey]

Yeah, I am real careful around my shop equipment and never try to pass undersized stuff through anything. That would be inviting trouble. There are certain ways to cut stuff safe and if you don't plan your approach you end up with a short or narrow piece.

Scenario: If maybe I try it this way, since I measured the piece wrong before I cut it a moment ago, although it's too small for the machine.......well......At that point it's best to toss it into scrap and start over with a good sized piece. ;D

[WDH]

[- I still drop-start my chainsaw (hey, it's got a chain break ;)),

Yeah, but we are still working on reforming you ;D.

[Dodgy Loner]

I still drop-start my chainsaw (hey, it's got a chain break ;)),

Yeah, but we are still working on reforming you ;D.

I knew you would have something to say about that...I'm just trying to prevent a repetitive-stress injury to my back ;)

[SwampDonkey]

Oh, you'll more than make up for that tailing boards and handling the firewood. :D

[WDH]

I knew you would have something to say about that...I'm just trying to prevent a repetitive-stress injury to my back ;)

Repetition is the key to learning ;D ;D.

[Burlkraft]

Our shop teacher in High School had 3 short fingers on the right hand and was missin' 2 on the left.... :-\  :-\  :-\

Apparently all separate incidents too  :  :

The guy was a loose cannon in the shop, but he was there to TEACH US how it's done.

I think back on that and wonder how the interview went and who actually hired the guy  :D  :D  :D

[Dan_Shade]

I know a guy that cut his thumb off on one occasion, and sliced a figer badly on another in table saw incidents. one having to do with a belt recatching and spinning the blade causing a kickback, and the other he slipped due to poor footing.

and he told me "neither one was my fault"  :

same fella also ran his hand through a ringer washer as a kid.  some folks are just accident prone.

[Texas Ranger]

I still drop-start my chainsaw (hey, it's got a chain break ;)),

Yeah, but we are still working on reforming you ;D.

I knew you would have something to say about that...I'm just trying to prevent a repetitive-stress injury to my back ;)

Let's see, bad back, or cut femoral artery.  Hard decision, NOT!

[Dodgy Loner]

Did I mention the chain brake ???

I'm pretty sure starting the chainsaw is the least dangerous thing that one can do with a chainsaw. 

[Dan_Shade]

i dunno, I've seen some guys drop start chainsaws where I wouldn't want to be anywhere near them....

[davemartin88]

Really sorry to hear about your friend. I cut a notch in the end of my thumb on my tablesaw a few years back and consider myself lucky it wasn't worse.

A couple of years back, I bought a SawStop and love it, it's a great saw and the added safety feature was worth it to me- I don't believe I'm more reckless because it's there but others can certainly think that. I also wear my seatbelt when I drive.

I've never tripped the mechanism at home but at a woodworking show, I did the hot dog demo with the dog laying on a piece of plywood and pushed it in to the blade as fast as possible. There was barely a nick that wouldn't have required a band aid.

Made me a believer and nice to know it's there when I'm working. SawStop will also replace the cartridge if it fires from an actual incident because there is a memory chip in the cartridge that gives them data about what was detected at the time it fired. As I understand it, it measures the capacitance on the blade and the moisture from your finger (or hotdog!) causes this to increase and sets it off. If you're cutting wet wood, you do need to be careful and bypass the safety if the wood is too wet. You can first bypass the safety with a key, then do a test cut and a light will indicate whether the cartridge would have fired or not, if not, you can turn the safety back on.

Thought some might be interested my experience with the saw, again, really sorry to hear about your friend.

[beenthere]

Dave
Did you have your own saw at the woodworking show to demonstrate?

And are you saying that SawStop will replace the cartridge at no cost? just for the data?

[tim1234]

Wow,

I know how bad that hurts from first "hand" experience.  Almost lost my thumb and part of my index finger to a dado blade.  Did loose a joint and some length off the index finger.  Your friend will adapt  It does make you angry sometimes when you can't do all the things you used to, like pick a quarter up off the table. 

I hope he heals fast and I'm sure he will be extra careful in the future. I still use my saw, but in a more respectful way.  And ALWAYS listen to that little voice.  It will help to protect you.

As for saw stop.  It's a great machine.  IMO it has the smoothest mechanism for tilting and raising/lowering the blade I've ever seen.  And I wish I had one back in '96 ;)

I heard that Saw Stop tried to license their technology to all the other saw manufacturers and they all refused.  So Saw Stop came up with their own saw.  They can keep their prices high because they have a monopoly.  I'm sure many more would buy one if they made a low or even a medium end saw to compliment their beautiful big one.  But unfortunately they have no incentive if people will buy a $4k to $7k saw.  Great saw, but out of reach for the guy who wants a contractor style saw and doesn't have the big $$$.

Hey, maybe Saw Stop reads the forum.  Hey guys, how about a lower end version for the little guy

Tim

[thedeeredude]

Saw stop makes a contractors saw now.  It just recently came out.

[tim1234]

cool

Wow, that was fast.  They read my post went back in time and designed one.

Tim

[davemartin88]

Dave
Did you have your own saw at the woodworking show to demonstrate?

And are you saying that SawStop will replace the cartridge at no cost? just for the data?

It was a demo saw at the woodworking show, I was in the audience and I told the guy that was doing the demo that I had a SawStop already but wanted to watch so he asked me if I wanted to do make the hot dog cut. It's amazing how fast the cartridge fires driving the aluminum brake in to the blade and momentum carry's the entire blade below the table top. You hear a loud bang and it's gone. One thing you can see when you look at a cartridge that has been used is how few teeth on the blade are actually damaged and embedded in the aluminum. Gives you an idea how quickly it stops the blade, the blade is not fixable but for a $90 blade and a $70 cartridge to not have the injury, it's worth it to me.

I was told that for an actual incident, SawStop would replace your cartridge free in order to get the data. This was a couple of years back and they may not still do this given there have been enough incidents for them to retrieve the data they need but don't know for sure. They recently came out with a second generation cartridge that is supposed to be a bit better with "false" firings but haven't looked in to it as I've not had a problem with mine firing by mistake (or for real). I think this probably comes from feedback from the commercial users.

Take care, dave.

[Dodgy Loner]

Hey, maybe Saw Stop reads the forum.  Hey guys, how about a lower end version for the little guy

I think they released their contractor's saw a couple years ago.  Read a review that said it was the best contractor's saw on the market, hands down, even without the SawStop technology.  I'm not sure what the price is, but here's a link: Contractor saw

[Part_Timer]

Well just an update.  We found out yesterday that my friend will be out until at least the 28th of July.  Yesterday was a bad day for him.  They took off tha bandages and he can actually see that a finger is missing.  He stopped in to see everyone in the shop and the guys tell me that it was messing with his head pretty bad.  I'll check in with him after vacation.

[Dodgy Loner]

It will take some getting used to, for sure.  I wish him the best of luck :-\

[Brad_bb]

Boy this is a really tough subject.  What I mean is, I have a 1953 Delta Unisaw that wasn't used much in it's life by looking at the condition it's in.  I bought it, with some attachments for $1100 and a fiberglass repo motor cover for $100. 
It's difficult to justify spending $3000-$4000 on a saw stop.  On one hand it's a lot of money that most people can't easily or readily afford.  On the other hand, you ask what are your fingers worth?  A trip to the emergency room will easily cost more than the sawstop saw.  Looking at it that way, how can you "not afford" to do it?
On the plus side, it looks like the saw stop comes with the Biesemeyer fence system, which my saw does not have.....
Oh what a tough one to think about.... Can I afford to spend that kind of money?  How can I not afford to spend it to save the fingers?!  Jeez how difficult!

[DouginUtah]

Brad and others with a tablesaw,

You may be interested in a new website (blog) run by Ed Bennett, manufacturer of the TS-Aligner.

There is a lot of information there including restoration of a Delta contractors saw, and how to properly align a tablesaw.

Unfortunately, you have to register to get to it, but that shouldn't be a problem as Ed can be trusted to not spam you.

http://tablesawalignment.com/blog/

A properly aligned tablesaw is a safer saw.   ;)

[Hokiemill]

Sorry for my late input to this.  Part-Timer, sorry to hear about your friend.  We all know someone who has had a run in with a tablesaw.  I agree completely with Dodgy that a riving knife is the answer.  The Europeans are decades ahead of us when it comes to safety.

About 7 years ago I had a pretty bad fight with a TS and I lost.  It was a dado stack only 1/4" wide and 3/8" of exposed blade.  Cutting a groove in a cabinet leg and it started to "feel" like the leg wanted to wander away from the fence so I (stupidly) used my left hand to make sure the leg stayed against the fence by guiding it.  Unfortunately I was guiding it on the outfeed side.  Wrong place at the wrong time - after a bit I had a big kickback which dragged my left hand into the outfeed side of the dado stack.  I didn't lose any fingers but I did get about forty stitches across all five fingers, several hours of major surgery, a compound fracture, and a pin holding the end of my middle finger on.  After six months of rehab, they all still worked, some won't straighten all the way, and my hand modeling career is definitely over.

A riving knife wouldn't help with a dado stack, but that's why dado stacks are outlawed in Europe.  I try to stay away from any cut that keeps the blade buried.  Seems safe, but the force from the blade pushes the board directly back towards you instead of down towards the table in a through cut (with the blade raised high enough).

Strangely, despite all of the pain, my biggest problem was feeling guilty and embarrassed about it all.  I felt guilty for doing something dumb and putting the other workers in the shop through the drama, putting my family through the drama, and I was embarrassed for having made such a silly mistake.  Part-Timer, tell your friend to use it as a learning experience and a teaching experience and not to feel embarrassed - accidents can happen to anyone.

[treecyclers]

The sawstop fence system is a biesemeyer clone, and rest assured that the saw is worth every penny of the money they cost.
Even the used ones that have slowly started coming on the market are bringing near new prices, as in 10-15% below new, partly because they're very rare to find used, partly because they're in such demand in general.
I understand the reluctance to part with "old tried-and-true", but as we all get on in our years, we're also more prone to mistakes in other fashions that can easily maim or mangle our precious digits to a point that we can't use them.
Besides, it's tough to do any woodworking if our digits are missing!
SD

[bck]

Insert Quote
Quote from: tim1234 on July 12, 2008, 12:36:17 AM
Hey, maybe Saw Stop reads the forum.  Hey guys, how about a lower end version for the little guy 

I think they released their contractor's saw a couple years ago.  Read a review that said it was the best contractor's saw on the market, hands down, even without the SawStop technology.  I'm not sure what the price is, but here's a link: Contractor saw

They had it in the last fine woodworking mag I saw, seems like the contractor saw was 1500.00